Canaries
The canary is actually a member of the finch family, native to the Canary Islands. The wild canary is greenish yellow with yellow under-parts. The domestic canary comes in an array of vibrant colors. Canaries do not require a great deal of attention, and make good starter pets.
- Canaries can live up to 10 years.
- Male canaries sing better than females.
- Canaries are not social birds and will be happy alone in a small birdcage.
- A pet canary should not have its wings clipped and should be able to fly in the small flight cage.
- The bar spacing of a canary's cage should not be more than half an inch.
- Small bird perches with slightly uneven surfaces are best for canaries.
- Canaries are happiest at room temperatures. Keep them away from drafts or direct sunlight.
- Pet canaries should be provided a natural light-dark cycle. Use a bird cage cover to cover the canary's cage at night.
- A canary can be fed good quality seed mixtures, pellets, sprouted seeds, and fresh fruits and greens.
- Fresh water should be available at all times.
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Finches
There are various species of finch, but among the most popular as pets are the zebra finch and the society finch. These species are hardy and relatively easy to care for, so are a good choice if you are a new owner.
- Finches live for 5 to 15 years.
- Finches don't make much noise apart from chirping, and are ideal for those who prefer a quiet environment.
- Finches are social and should be kept in pairs.
- Even though finches become tame, they don't like to be handled by humans.
- As a small bird, the Finch needs a spacious cage with enough room for flight and activities, with bar spacing of quarter to half inch.
- Finches don't crave lots of company and should be kept in a quiet spot.
- Seeds, sprouted seeds, pellets and fresh fruits and vegetables should be included in their diet.
Budgies
Budgies, or budgerigars, are members of the parakeet family and are popular pets. They are friendly and easy to tame, and are capable of mimicking speech. Usually, budgies are green with black bars on the wings, back and head.
- Budgies live for 10 to 15 years.
- Budgies are gentle, playful, and friendly, and are easy to tame when young.
- A single budgie needs to have considerable human interaction every day.
- A pair of budgies can also be kept together.
- Even though quieter than some parrots, budgies can still be noisy and may not be ideal for those who prefer peace and quiet.
- Spacious decorative cages with bar spacing of half inch or less is recommended.
- Budgies like to climb, so horizontal cage bars offer activity and exercise.
- Provide a variety of perch sizes, as this is healthier for a budgie's feet.
- Seeds, sprouts, pellets, fresh fruits, and vegetables are good for budgies. Avoid avocados.
- A cuttle bone can be provided as a source of calcium.
Love Birds
Love birds belong to the parrot family and are small birds about 5 to 6 inches in length. The most popular species of love birds include peach faced love birds, masked love birds and Fischer's love birds. Love birds are very social and form strong bonds with their owners. They can also be feisty and display territorial aggressiveness and jealousy.
- Love birds have a life span of 15 years or more.
- They are active, playful, and social. They like to be petted and held.
- Female love birds are believed to be more prone to jealousy than males.
- Even though love birds are usually kept in pairs, a single love bird will stay happy as long as it gets adequate interaction, attention, and affection.
- While not as loud as some parrots, love birds can produce loud, high-pitched screeches.
- Their normal chirps and squeaks are not very loud and some love birds have been known to mimic sounds or speech.
- Spacious round cages with bar spacing of a half inch or less are recommended.
- Horizontal cage bars offer the best opportunity for climbing and exercise.
- Provide a variety of perch sizes as this is healthier for a love bird's feet.
- Seeds, sprouts, pellets, fresh fruits, and vegetables are good for love birds.
- A cuttle bone can be provided as a source of calcium.
- Love birds are aggressive chewers and any toys placed in the cage should not have any small parts that can be chewed off or ingested.
Parakeets
Parakeets belong to the parrot family. They are small- to medium-sized parrots with long, tapered tail feathers rather than the larger parrots with stockier bodies and squarish tails. There are around 120 species and many sub-species of parakeets. They come from many diverse habitats throughout Asia, Australia, tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa, Central America, and South America. These colorful, graceful birds are full of energy and are very social with each other and with people. They love attention and make wonderful pets.
- Parakeets live for 10 to 15 years.
- Parakeets are social, playful, and friendly, and are easy to tame when young.
- A single parakeet needs to have considerable human interaction every day.
- A pair of parakeets also can be kept together.
- Even though quieter than some parrots, parakeets can still be noisy and may not be ideal for those who prefer peace and quiet.
- Many parakeets can mimic human speech and make associations between words and their context.
- Spacious wire cages with bar spacing of 1/2-inch or less is recommended.
- Parakeets like to climb, so horizontal cage bars offer activity and exercise.
- Provide a variety of perch sizes, as this is healthier for a parakeet's feet.
- Seeds, sprouts, pellets, fresh fruits, legumes, and vegetables are good for parakeets. Avoid avocados.
- A cuttle bone can be provided as a source of calcium.
